To Accelerate Or Not To Accelerate…
Don’t you honestly feel sometimes like they are really playing the “He loves me, He loves me not” game at the Nok to decide whether or not they would include a certain feature on a new device?
When the N96 was announced, the main debate was: to Xenon or not to Xenon, as well as to Battery or not to Battery *Be gone, Shakespeare!*. But one debate that I feel was undermined was the lack of 3D acceleration. The N96 product manager said it was a choice they made, a choice that I don’t really get.
I have had a taste of the acceleration with the N95 8GB: I tried Global Race and I have to say that this is one of the best mobile racing games I’ve ever played. 2 of my friends were almost in tears when I sent the N95 8GB back because they loved this particular game. It was fluid, smooth and overall nice to play.
To see the differences between accelerated an non-accelerated devices, Bery from the Symbian Web Blog has found a video showing the N95 and the N81 side-by-side when processing a 3D demo. Most importantly, Bery concluded by wondering whether accelerated N-Gage games were going to be released. If you read the post, you would see that I replied saying this wasn’t a viable option, for the main reason that the N96 didn’t have the hardware, and that would KILL the new device for N-Gage fanatics. It seems I was wrong: the N-Gage blog reports that hardware accelerated games might be just around the corner.
Why, Oh Why Nokia? Think about it for a second: the 2 devices (N81 & N96) that have gaming-dedicated keys don’t have hardware acceleration. And the devices that have the acceleration are the ones with the least comfortable in-hand long-run experience. And you wonder why the flower replied “I Hate You!”
Lack of 3D acceleration is somewhat irritating. At least the n96 has acceleration sensor and hopefully even better audio quality than on n91 just like n96 product manager said. But European Union(at least in EU countries) destroys this pleasure with stupid volume level limitation law…..
it really does not make any sense. The 3d was a great selling point of ngage. Have you TRIED the n81 installer app on the n95? The system rush graphics look horrible. The shoot em up game was good though. Nokia baffles me again.
i 100% agree with this post. sometimes i just don’t get nokia.
another example. i was so excited about the n78, then i heard it won’t have an accelerometer! i think that should be standard for nseries now.
This is an interesting debate… there is no doubt that on a much larger screen 3D acceleration makes a massive difference, but on the tiny phone screen? … I’m not so convinced.
As much as it pains me to say, the final N81 version of System Rush, plays and LOOKS better than the old accelerated demo on the N95. Sure, there is no anti-aliasing or texture filtering, but at QVGA does it really make a difference?
Well, I might be off by a mile here, but I really hope this won’t be the case, maybe the PM was mistaking. It does make no sense whatsoever, that’s true.
Looking at the specs for the N96, I find the phrase “hardware-accelerated” in the context of video playback. Is that it? Or is it just my insane hope? :)
Here is what I’m talking about:
http://www.nseries.com/nseries/v3/media/sections/products/tech_specs/en-R1/tech_specs_n96_en_R1.html#Video
@ James
Have you tried Global Race on both phones? It’s a total PIA on the N81. There are moments of pause between each frame and I couldn’t stand playing it for over 3 seconds. On the N95 it goes smoother than imaginable. I never thought the difference was so flagrant! If you have any S60 3rd phone laying around that doesn’t have hardware installation (N76, N81, 6120,…) just try downloading Global Race (Ricky posted it here sometime ago if you want) and see for yourself.
The difference is as noticeable as in the video that Bery posted on the Symbian Web Blog.
@Vlad
Your insane hope :p everyone knows that it doesn’t have it :(
Perhaps the processor of N96 is not yet determined (although I think they should have 6 months before launch)? Forum-Nokia.com specs don’t show any info about processor (in contrast to all other new devices), so maybe we’ll get 3d-accelleration in N96. Nothing is for sure.
The thing is 3D HW acceleration doesn’t just improve the gaming experience imo, it improves other important aspects like the UI (witness IPhone) and navigation. Perhaps Nokia just wanted the N96 to be the ‘TV phone’ rather than a bona fide N95 successor.
@ Dotsisx: I’ve not tried that… horses for courses I guess… Global Race must be totally optimised for hardware acceleration.
What are your thoughts on the difference between the two versions of System Rush?
@ telly, we can only hope
@ laurel, it improves everything in need of graphics and 3D processing, so yes, it is not just games.
@ James, I did try the limited trial of System Rush on the N95 when I had it, then I tried the N-Gage version on the N81. The N-Gage version was far superior, but I guess that’s not due to acceleration or not. I think the N-Gage version is different, in terms of graphics (optimized for devices such as the N73 too) and gameplay. As far as I remember the trial on the N95 was just in a tube and it went on and on without an end. I played it once or twice and never understood what I supposed to do, lmao.
[...] his “Why Nokia used dual-LEDs on the N96?” and I agree with his explanation. Still, the lack of 3D-acceleration issue remains, and that my friends, I’m afraid we’ll have to moan about and live [...]
hey guys,tries this,N81 run Global Race with smoothly as N95 did
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idqy3J-Ipcg